One person has died and three others have been rescued after a two-storey building under construction collapsed in the Fadeyi area of Lagos State in the early hours of Friday.
The incident occurred at Akinola Street, near Fadeyi Bus Stop, off Ikorodu Road, with suspected construction workers feared trapped beneath the rubble.
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The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency received a distress call at 12:10 am and immediately activated its Cobra Response Team from the Onipanu Base.
According to him, the team arrived at the scene at 12:12 am and began search and rescue operations after discovering that people might be trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
Responders reportedly heard groaning sounds from under the debris, indicating that some victims could still be alive.
An excavator was subsequently deployed to assist the rescue operation while emergency personnel worked to ensure the safety of victims and responders.
Oke-Osanyintolu disclosed that three adult men had been rescued alive as of 3:33 am, while the body of another adult male was recovered from the wreckage.
He said the survivors received immediate pre-hospital medical care from LASEMA paramedics and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before being taken to a hospital for further treatment.
The agency said search and rescue operations were continuing to determine whether additional people remained trapped beneath the debris.
The operation was coordinated by LASEMA’s Director of Operations, Engineer Akinsanya, and the Head of Cappa Base, Engineer Salami, who were at the scene supervising the response.
Other agencies involved included the LASEMA Response Team, LRU paramedics, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASAMBUS and police officers from the Alagbon Division of the Nigeria Police Force.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the cause of the collapse had not been established, adding that the relevant regulatory authorities would investigate the incident.
He conveyed the Lagos State Government’s condolences to the family of the deceased and wished the rescued victims a speedy recovery.
The Permanent Secretary also reiterated the commitment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to enforcing building safety standards across the state.
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He said the government maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards substandard construction and would continue working with the Lagos State Building Control Agency to strengthen monitoring and enforcement in a bid to prevent future building collapses.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
